Tell us a little bit about yourself!

What motivated you to try keto?

I wanted to be around for when my kids grow up. Men in my family die young due to heart issues and knowing that motivated me to do things to stop it.

How often do you cheat on keto?

I have cheated only twice so far on this diet. Once when I hit my 50lb mark, I decided to celebrate and have a few things I don’t normally get, like Chinese food and ice cream. The second time was my birthday. I had planned to cheat when I hit the 101lb mark, but that came and went and I decided that I don’t miss anything enough to cheat.

How do you get (back) into ketosis?

I just go back to eating 20g of net carbs or less a day, nothing special.

Do you track your weight/ketones/blood glucose/macros or anything else?

I track my weight twice a week and I track calories and carb intake. I keep an eye on my protein levels to make sure I’m not going to jeopardize my muscle mass.

How supportive were your friends & family when you started?

Well, my family has been great and I don’t have much of a social life that doesn’t involve my family. My wife actually did the diet with me and she lost 70-ish lbs and made it to her goal weight. She’s still doing the keto diet with me in maintenance mode, so that I can easily continue my progress. We do a weekly dinner with my parents and they have been great in preparing food for the family meal that we can eat.

Has your weight loss ever stalled?

My weight has stalled a few times for a week or two but I just keep pressing on. I don’t change anything because, even though it stalls, I can feel clothes getting a little looser or I notice more definition in my muscles etc.

What other benefits have you noticed?

More energy just for losing almost a 3rd of my self. I tend to sleep a little less — like 6 hours a night.

Did you encounter any obstacles to pursuing keto?

I travel a lot with my job and one of the reasons I’ve succesfully stayed with this diet is the ability to go out to eat without too much hassle. Go to a burger joint — get a burger, no bun. Mexican — get a salad, no beans or rice. KFC — get the grilled chicken.

Have you had any side effects to keto?

Maybe slight constipation, but nothing serious. Haven’t needed to take something. Occasional muscle cramps, but salt water seems to do the trick.